Tabyin Kidhb al-Muftari fima nusiba ila al-Ashari
- Author died
- 571 AH
- Editions
- Dar Al-Kitab Al-Arabi
Tabyin Kidhb al-Muftari fima nusiba ila al-Ashari (Exposing the Fabricator's Lies Concerning What Has Been Attributed to al-Ash'ari) is a biographical and theological treatise written by the Damascene Shafi'i hadith scholar Abu al-Qasim Ibn Asakir (499–571 AH / 1105–1176 CE) in defense of the theologian Abu al-Hasan al-Ashari and his school .
Background and Purpose
The primary impetus for authoring the work was to refute accusations made against Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, most notably by the Quran reciter and scholar al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Ahwazi in his polemical treatise Mathalib Ibn Abi Bishr (The Faults of Ibn Abi Bishr) . Ibn Asakir composed the book to vindicate al-Ash'ari's orthodoxy, demonstrate his adherence to the Sunnah, and showcase the lineage of scholars who followed his theological school .
Contents and Methodology
The work provides a comprehensive biography of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari and addresses multiple aspects of his life and legacy:
- Conversion and Creed: It recounts al-Ash'ari's departure from the Mu'tazilite doctrine after spending forty years in it, and details his public renunciation from the pulpit in Basra . Ibn Asakir affirms al-Ash'ari's adherence to the creed of the early Sunnis and cites the introductory creedal sections of al-Ash'ari's book al-Ibanah 'an Usul al-Diyanah (The Clarification on the Foundations of the Faith) as evidence of his agreement with early traditionists such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal .
- Bibliography: Ibn Asakir catalogues al-Ash'ari's writings, correcting Ibn Hazm's tally of fifty-five works by noting that Ibn Hazm had omitted more than half of al-Ash'ari's actual output, and lists major works such as al-Luma', al-Fusun, Maqalat al-Islamiyyin, and his voluminous Quran commentary al-Mukhtazan .
- Biographical Tiers (Tabaqat): The work surveys the prominent scholars of hadith, jurisprudence, and theology across successive generations who subscribed to al-Ash'ari's methodology .
- Legal and Scholarly Decrees: Ibn Asakir compiles legal rulings from prominent figures, including Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi, affirming the legitimacy of the Ash'arite school and responding to detractors .
- Refutation of Critics: He mounts a sharp polemical counterattack against al-Ahwazi, critiquing both his narrations and his integrity .
The book contains Ibn Asakir's widely cited maxim concerning the honor of religious scholars: "The flesh of the scholars is poisonous, and God's custom of exposing the faults of their detractors is well known" ( لحوم العلماء مسمومة وعادة الله في هتك أستار منتقضيهم معلومة ) .
Reception and Legacy
Tabyin Kidhb al-Muftari gained considerable authority within later Shafi'i and Ash'arite scholarship. Taj al-Din al-Subki praised the work highly, recording that senior scholars instructed students to consult it and stating that no Sunni could be fully discerning without access to it .
The book was abridged by the Shafi'i scholar Abd Allah ibn As'ad al-Yafi'i . Commentators have noted that alongside its historical material and documentary citations, the work reflects sharp partisan polemics against adversaries such as al-Ahwazi and incorporates dreams, visions, and poetic panegyrics to support its defenses .
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